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4 Positive Ways The Pandemic Has Changed How We Eat

The coronavirus pandemic has uprooted food systems as we knew them, leading to grocery shortages and devastating the restaurant industry. But it has also driven some food trends that have helped people stay connected ― and could lead to long-lasting, positive change.

It’s up to us to decide whether they continue long after the pandemic is over.

1. Family Meals Are Making A Comeback

Research has shown that 30%-35% of families often eat fewer than three meals a week together, but the lockdown has changed that for the better. Kids are having dinner with their parents, which hasn’t always been the norm for families with dual-income parents, and the benefits are proven. Studies have found that eating together as a family helps children with self-esteem and success in school and lowers the risk for depression. According to the Family Meals Movement, lower rates of childhood obesity are associated with kids eating meals with their families.

Although some parents have more time to plan meals due to COVID-19, family dinners don’t have to be labor-intensive ― you don’t even have to cook. According to Thalia E. Prum, an accredited dietitian and nutritionist focused on family meal planning, “Takeout can be a great option, as well as canned or frozen vegetables, or ready-to-use meals.”

 (PavelVinnik via Getty Images)
(PavelVinnik via Getty Images)

According to Prum, children reap the benefits of family meals from as few as three meals a week. It’s also important to note that it doesn’t always have to be dinner.

“A family meal can definitely be breakfast or lunch,” Prum said. “Taking the time to eat together is the most important thing, whether it’s sitting on the floor, in a car or under a tree. Hopefully, parents will find that the family meal is a pleasant experience they’ll want to continue beyond the pandemic. They just need to make it a priority.”

2. People Are Eating More Plant-Based Foods

Meat shortages due to health issues in the meat-packing industry have forced people to rely more...

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